Author Archives: Science Media Centre
Natural flood management – how effective is it?
Floods are costly and traumatic for the people whose homes and livelihoods are damaged or destroyed. In the UK, they are expected to become more frequent and severe with climate change. read more
expert reaction to research on natural climate variability and Arctic summer sea ice
New research published in Nature Climate Change estimates to what extent changes in atmospheric circulation explain the observed sea-ice loss of the past few decades. read more
expert reaction to five new artificial yeast chromosomes
Researchers publishing in Science have created five new synthetic yeast chromosomes with DNA from chemicals in a lab. read more
expert reaction to letter about science funding, efficiency and waste
A letter published in the Lancet asks what funders are doing to minimise waste in research. read more
expert reaction to the Spring Budget
The Chancellor Philip Hammond, has announced the spring budget. read more
Media roundtable on sharing patient data for health, care and research
The purpose of the meeting was primarily to introduce science and health reporters to a brand new organization called Understanding Patient Data which is supported by much of the medical research community in the UK. read more
European Perceptions of Climate Change
How worried about climate change are people in the UK, Germany, France and Norway and how do they view its … read more
Brain Prize 2017 – announcement of winners
Three neuroscientists from UK institutions were awarded the world’s most valuable prize for brain research. read more
expert reaction to White House proposed budget cut to NOAA
The White House is proposing to cut the budget of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), a leading government agency on climate science, by a reported 17 percent.
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Can we make cannabis safer?
In a Personal View article to be published in the Lancet Psychiatry, the authors explain that increasingly liberal cannabis laws in some countries and the increasing potency of cannabis worldwide mean that we need to think about whether and how cannabis can be made safer.
expert reaction to paper on creating an artificial mouse ‘embryo’ from stem cells
Researchers publishing in Science have created a structure resembling a mouse embryo in culture, using two types of stem cells and a 3d scaffold on which they can grow. read more
expert reaction to NICE reviewing cancer drugs on the old Cancer Drugs Fund, and recommending two bowel cancer drugs for routine use
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published new guidance which recommends Cetuximab and panitumumab, for previously untreated metastatic colorectal cancer, be moved from the Cancer Drugs Fund into routine use. read more
pyrethroid insecticides in pregnancy and in children, and childhood behavioural difficulties
Researchers publishing in the British Medical Journal investigated the associations between prenatal and childhood exposure to pyrethroid insecticides and behavioural skills in 6-year-olds. read more
expert reaction to study looking at pyrethroid insecticides in pregnancy and in children, and childhood behavioural difficulties
Researchers publishing in the Occupational & Environmental Medicine investigated the associations between metabolite measures of prenatal and childhood exposure to pyrethroid insecticides and behavioural skills in 6-year-olds. read more
BPA-free plastic and mice
A new study in Nature Communications reports that fluorene-9-bisphenol – a Bisphenol A substitute – has anti-oestrogenic effects in mice. read more
expert reaction to a new report by the Nuffield Council on Bioethics on non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT)
The Nuffield Council on Bioethics has published a new report, Non-invasive prenatal testing: ethical issues. read more
expert reaction to Fluorene-9-bisphenol (BHPF) and mice
A new study in Nature Communications reports that fluorene-9-bisphenol – a Bisphenol A substitute – has anti-oestrogenic effects in mice. read more
expert reaction to research on anti-clotting drugs and bleeding near the brain
Published in JAMA scientists investigated the association between use of antithrombotic drugs and subdural hematoma risk. read more
expert reaction to research into cardiac arrest in pregnancy
In BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology scientists describe the incidence, risks, management and outcomes of cardiac arrest in pregnancy in the UK population.
expert reaction to study looking at gene-edited pigs and resistance to Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome
Scientists publishing in PLOS Pathogens report that genome edited pigs show signs of resistance to Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRSV) – a panzootic infectious disease of pigs, causing economic losses to the world-wide pig industry. read more